A girl performing placekicking duties on a prep football team isn't all that uncommon. But it's not every day that a girl hits a game-winning field goal.
Encinal senior Emily Rentschler did just Friday night, beating host Aptos 13-10 in the final seconds with a 20-yard field goal.
"She's a senior and she kicked for us last year and she does a heck of a job," Jets coach Joe Tenorio said. "She hit some kicks for us last year and we have faith in her, so it's not anything new."
Rentschler scored seven of Encinal's 13 points on Friday night, also making another field goal and an extra point.
Asked what he thought when he saw the ball pass between the uprights on the game-winner, Tenorio said:
"Cover the kick," he said. "The game isn't over yet. Stop celebrating and cover the kick."
Encinal did make a tackle on the ensuing kickoff to record the victory.
Rentschler's father, Randy, made it down to Aptos for the game and had some anxious moments, but walked away with a spring in his step.
"It (the kick) was on about the 3-yard line and from the right hash mark," he said. "That's terrible for a right-footed kicker. It was a tough kick, but she was able to settle herself down and make it. The (Aptos) coach had done the right thing by calling a time out to give her time to think about it."
As for his daughter's participation on an otherwise all-male team, Randy said it's no big deal.
"The boys are protective of her and accepting," he said. "And I think other teams are accepting too."
MORE EMILY
After I interviewed Rentschler's father over the phone, he e-mailed some interesting comments. He is the rare dad who gets that D-I soccer schools are shying away from his daughter because she is a 5-foot-3 defender.
"One of the interesting things (even an inviting aspect) about Emily is that she is not a super elite athlete with a freak athletic body," opined Randy. "She is very much an everyday girl and what she does is not out of reach for many girls who play soccer.
As her Dad, I think the best part of all this is that Emily participation shows that a girl can very much be herself and still be able to do something unique such as football, especially if she wants to be a kicker."
Well, good for Emily and Encinal for making it happen. And props to dad for having a grip on reality.
WILCOX'S FATUESI TO UTAH
Wilcox senior 6-foot-3 basketball center Joeseta Fatuesi has committed to Utah, her father Sipaia confirmed late Monday morning.
The news was first tweeted by Sean Chambers of JBS Elite Basketball, for whom Fatuesi plays.
"She liked the school and the campus, the coaches and education," Sipaia said. "And Utah is in the Pac-12. It's a great conference and Utah is a team that utilizes their big girls; they just don't have them setting picks. She'll be able to face up and shoot."
Canceled will be trips to Washington State, Hawaii and Arizona State.
The Fatuesis are Samoan and Sipaia said Joeseta would have had family around her at any of those colleges on her list. The fact Utah is heavily a Mormon state and the Fatuesis are Catholic was not that much of a factor, Sipaia said
"We did have a little trepidation before we went, but you'd be surprised at how progressive Salt Lake City is," the player's father said.
ARTICHOKES, FLY OFFENSE
My column from a few months ago on North Monterey County football has prompted a delayed reaction.
First, some background. Around 1980 I covered the North County Condors for the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian. Roger Sugimoto was the offensive coordinator and Stan Claunch was the quarterback and they were on the ground floor of a Condor dynasty. Sugimoto and Claunch reacted thusly to that reminiscence:
"I enjoyed reading your neat article about the old Condors!" Sugimoto wrote. "It was sent to me by Stan Claunch who just experienced watching his son play QB in his first high school game!
They are great memories and the community members still talk of the "good ole days!"
Phil (Maas) s still coaching at Siskiyous in Weed. Retired from teaching but still coaching.
(Mark Speckman) has done a great job moving forward! What a great man! We are headed to Montreal in Oct to watch them play a couple games and visit."
(And this from Claunch, who now lives in Vacaville):
"How ironic, I talked to coach Sugimoto today as I had to tell him that my son, a freshman in high school, is the quarterback and that they won their first game. Then I came across your article, FOOTBALL: North County, artichokes and 1980s flashbacks ... it definitely brought a smile to my face."
To mine, as well, guys.
GOLDEN
Three players from the Prep2Prep coverage area came up big for the USA 18U baseball team as it won the World Cup in Taiwan on Sunday.
Brady Aiken of Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego pitched the first seven innings of the U.S.'s 3-2 victory against Japan, allowing just five hits while allowing one run and striking out 10. Also, Valley Christian of San Jose's Bryson Brigman singled home a run for the U.S. in the sixth inning, giving his team a 2-1 lead.
College Park's Joe DeMers had earlier shined on the mound for the U.S. in the tourney.
Wrote Archbishop Mitty coach Bill Hutton on Facebook regarding Brigman:
“Congrats to Bryson Brigman for helping lead the USA to a gold medal in the 18U World Championships. Bryson is a senior at Valley Christian, but being a member of Team USA trumps even a WCAL rivalry. Way to bring home the gold Bryson!”
The team was scheduled to return to the U.S. today via Los Angeles International Airport.
FULL CIRCLE
Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto is seeking an interim girls' basketball coach. Kehillah's regular coach, Jenny Circle, is going on maternity leave, Circle said. She is also the athletic director.
"I hate to miss it, but there's something more important demanding my attention," Circle said. "It's our first baby."
Circle's husband is Dermot Cronin, who is an assistant girls coach at Mills High.
Circle was the center for the Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton hoops teams of the mid-1990s. The Gators of that era under Mike Ciardella won four consecutive state titles, two in Division 5 and two at D1. Ciardella will be inducted into the SHP athletic Hall of Fame next month.
More information on the Kehillah job: (650) 213-9600 x125.
